Daniel
Read Chapter 18

The King of Babylon chose the best of the Jewish exiles to serve him personally. 

“young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king's palace. They were to learn the language and literature of the Babylonians.  The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king's table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king's service."

“Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine . . .  At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food” Daniel 1:4-5, 8, 16

How should a First Round Draft Pick act when he gets to training camp? 

Daniel was the “Tim Tebow” of the Jewish Exiles. Daniel was not only the first round draft pick of Nebuchadnezzar, he was also a first round pick of God. In other words God put him in that position. Why? Because God knew his character. As it turned out Daniel honored God to point of disobeying his Babylonian superiors when it meant eliminating the signs of his covenantal relationship with God, in this case dietary practices. Doing this further enable him to maintain his dependence on God and not on his hosts who would try to “woo” him into their service as opposed to the service of God.  

The New Testament says we, too, are first round draft picks, picked to honor God in the training camp we now find ourselves. If you’re having trouble staying faithful note vs. 8 above. Faithfulness has its perks.
 
Prayer

“Lord, I ask you today to give me the courage, self forgetfulness, perseverance, trust in you and thick enough skin to live for you. . . . . .at home, at work, where I live . . . . . . .  .this week.  Amen”